March 23, 2015

Carrot Cake Blondies

I'm getting worse and worse at having posts typed up early and ready to go. I'm typing this on Sunday evening whereas, a month ago, I would've had the post ready to go a week ago.

I've been feeling that I'm in a blogging rut lately because things are so stagnant around here. No big projects are happening with the house*, I'm not packing up a classroom because we're not moving, and that brings up a bigger point: this is the first spring in 3 years that we're not moving. I did the math recently, and I'm not sure why I didn't do this before, but we moved in April 2013 and again in May 2014. That's 3 states in 13 months. 3 jobs in 13 months for Scott and, because of summer vacation, 3 jobs in 15 months for me. Plus two new puppies in 13 months (fun fact: Jett and Scout are totally Irish twins).

*Another fun fact: the kitchen/dining room is actually 98% done but you haven't seen pictures because I'm...lazy? That's probably the right word.

Maybe I'm not getting posts typed up and scheduled early because I keep all of these facts in the forefront of my brain and I get overwhelmed thinking of all the things.

I do feel that I don't have a lot of fun or new changes to blog about because things are indeed stagnant. I can't make a whole lot of changes while Scott is gone anyway.

But some things will never change: I will make brownies or blondies, I will eat half the batch of frosting with a spoon, and then I will take the finished blondies to the staff lounge because I need to get them out of the house as quickly as possible.

This is the perfect Easter dessert. That's all I have to say about it.

Carrot Cake Blondies

makes an 8x8 pan (double recipe for 9x13, but the frosting will make enough for a 9x13)

Wet ingredients:

4 T. butter, softened

1/4 cup applesauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup white sugar

1 egg

2 t. vanilla

1 cup finely shredded carrot

Dry ingredients:

1 cup flour

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup shredded coconut (optional)

1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl, cream the butter, applesauce, and sugars. After the mixture is fluffy, add in the egg and vanilla until well-incorporated. Stir in the carrot.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Add in batches to the wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the coconut, white chocolate chips, and nuts. Spread the batter into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Frost immediately and store in the refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting

For this recipe, halve the frosting...Or don't. It'd be good for breakfast too, I'm sure. Just be sure to store it in the refrigerator. I halved it and still had extra.

Cream the butter and cream cheese together, using a hand mixer or the whisk on a stand mixer. Add the vanilla. Then, add the sugar until you reach the consistency you want. Add the meringue powder last.

Ugh that's how I felt about life in BC. Everything was always just so stagnant. I can only imagine things feel that way with S gone. Like life is on hold. Yay for the kitchen being nearly done, though!